Blog

What Are the Health Risks of Opioid Dependence?

According to Dr. Nora Volkow from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), drug dependence can affect nearly every system in a person’s body. Opioids, in particular, have their own chemical structure, which can affect a person’s moods, learning prowess, judgment, and memory, among other things. The ultimate consequence of opioid addiction and abuse is, of course, death—but there is a slew of complications that will gradually cause a person’s health to decline.

Fortunately, these can be prevented through effective medically-assisted drug addiction treatment. The experienced specialists at Brightside Clinic in Northbrook, Illinois, implement the proper programs to help people find the path to recovery.

If you need an extra push to seek treatment, here are a few ways opiod dependence can affect your health:

Physical Damage: The compulsive need to find and obtain opioids can overshadow your concern over your body. Because of this negligence, the body deteriorates at a rapid rate. Heroin addiction, for instance, causes heart failure, and unsanitary use of injectable drugs can result in blood-borne diseases like Hepatitis or HIV. Opioids, like Oxycodone, cause severe respiratory depression. Researchers are currently studying the long-term effects, which may include brain damage due to hypoxia—a lack of oxygen to the brain.
Social Detachment: Opioid drug addiction can also take its toll on a person’s emotional and social well-being. By its nature, addiction detaches you from the people close to you because your relationship with the drug takes precedence over everyone and everything. Initial emotions of secrecy and isolation might progress to the addict’s total abandonment of their loved ones as the disease worsens.
Mental Instability: Opioid dependence can lead to or intensify mood and anxiety disorders. While initial drug use may be voluntary, drugs are capable of altering a person’s brain chemistry, which interferes with their decision-making abilities and can lead to addiction. Long-term changes in the brain caused by chronic opioid use may result in irritability, depression, paranoia, and the possibility of brain damage—as mentioned earlier.
No matter how serious the opioid drug addiction is, it’s never too late to seek proper medically-assisted treatment and rehabilitation. Through Brightside Clinic’s comprehensive programs and personalized care, there’s still hope for people to have a normal life. Call the clinic at (224) 205-7866 today and check out their website for more information on overcoming opioid drug dependence.